Centrifuge



March 5, 1963 A. A. FORSBERG CENTRIFUGE 5 Sheets-Sheet I Filed Feb. 19, 1959 smswei March 5, 1963 A. A. FORSBERG CENTRIFUGE I 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Feb. 19, 1959 R m m M wyw,

Arrow/5y March 1963 A. A. FORSBERG 3,080,661

CENTRIFUGE Filed Feb. 19, 1959 5 Sheets-Sheet 3 I WMwW March 5, 1963 A. A. FORSBERG CENTRIFUGE 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed Feb. 19, 1959 Q INVENTOR.

nfra/may arch 1963 A. A. FORSBERG 3,080,061

CENTRIFUGE Filed Feb. 19, 1959 5 heets-Sheet 5 INVENTOR.

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' Arrae/vzr llnited States Patent ()fiiice 3,680,061 Patented Mar. 5, 1963 3,tl3il,0dll CENTRlFUGE Axel Albert Forsberg, Stockholm, Sweden, assignor to Al'ttiebolaget Eleetrolux, Stockholm, Sweden, :1 corporation of Sweden Filed Feb. 1?, P559, Ser. No. 7%,370 Qinirnspriorlty, application Sweden-Feb. 21, 1958 2 Claims. (Cl. 233-249) This invention relates to centrifuge devices md especially to such devices which are relatively small, portable and adapted to be detachably mounted on various structures, such as tubs, sinks and washing m hines, for example, which are capable of receiving liquid discharged by the centrifuge. In its preferred form, the invention is especially useful in connection with household devices for the centrifugal removal of liquid from laundry and the like.

A general object of the invention is to devise a small, compact device of the type described which can be readily removed from place to place and securely mounted, in a quick-detachable fashion, on various kinds of related support devices.

Another object is to devise a household centrifuge capable of being removably mounted on one wall of a sink or tub in such fashion that the liquid from the centrifuge goes directly into the sink or tub.

A. further object is to provide such a device wherein the mounting means, in addition to being quickly-detachable, includes elastic elements effective to reduce noise during operation.

Yet another object is to provide such a device including an elastic connection between the centrifuge drum or bowl and the driving means in such fashion as to minimize the transmission of vibrations to the mounting structure.

A further object is to provide a device of the type described including elastic means both in the centrifuge drive and in the mounting means for the cent uge.

Yet another object is to devise a novel mounting means by which a portable centrifuge can be hung from the rim of a sink, tub or washing machine, for example, such mounting means being readily adaptable for use in connection with rims of different thicknesses.

In or er that the manner in which these and other objects are attained in accordance with the invention can be readily understood, reference is bad to the ECCOIL' panying drawings, which form a part of this specification, and wherein:

FIG. 1 is a view, partly in vertical section and partly in side elevation, of an apparatus constructed in accordance with one embodiment of the invention, the righthand part at the top of the apparatus being at right angles to the left-hand part at the top of the apparatus;

FIG. 2 is a partial illustration, in vertical setion and rear elevation, of the apparatus of PEG. 1;

PEG. 3 is a part plan view of the apparatus of H8. 1, with parts broken away for clarity of illustration;

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken on line 4-4, PEG. 1, with some parts shown in elevation;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the apparatus of FIG. 1 as mounted in one normal position of use, with cover of the apparatus shown in open position;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the mounting means embodied in the device of FIGS. 1 to 5;

7 is a perspective view of an additional suspension bracket useful in connection with the mounting means of FIG. 6, as indicated in phantom lines;

FIGS. 8 and 9 are enlarged fragmentary sectional views of parts shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, respectively, to illustrate details more clearly;

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary sectional view taken at line ill-dd of FIG. 8;

PEG. 11 is a perspective view of a washing machine and a portable centrifuge which is detachublymounted thereon and like that shown in FIGS. 1 to 10;

FIG. 12 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of a side wall of the washing machine of FIG. 11 and centrifuge frame like that shown in FIG. 6;

FIG. 13 is an enlarged fragmentary view of parts shown in FIG. 3 to illustrate details more clearly; and

FIG. 14 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken at line 1 l14 of FIG. 1.

While the invention is applicable to centrifuge apparatus for other purposes, the embodiment chosen for illustration is a portable household unit useful for so-called spin drying of clothes and the like.

As seen in F168. 1, 2, 4 and 5, this embodiment comprises an upright housing it of sheet metal, having an open top and tapering to a smaller bottom end, the top being equipped with a hinged'cover lit and the bottom end being closed by a rigidly mounted closure plate 12, advantageously of glass fiber reinforced resinous material. From FIG. 4, it will be noted that the front wall portion of housing it} is of semi-circular transverse cr0sssection, while the side and back wall portions are flat.

Secured to the top of housing 1G is a liquid collector 7.3, generally similar in plan to the cross-section of the housing. Member 13 has inwardly extending part defining at 14 an open-top liquid collecting channel. Member 13 also mounts, at my suitable point, a hinge 15 for the cover 11. Cover 11 is provided, on its inner face, with a central bearing 36 on which is rotatably mounted a dished centering plate 17. A suitable annular sealing member 18 is carried by collector 13 for engagement by the cover, the sealing member including an upwardly exending portion terminating in an inwardly and downwardly curving annular shroud indicated at 19.

The housing is provided with a transversely extending partition 29 which is rigidly securcdto the walls of the housing and on which is mounted a downwardly extending bearing casing 21. As seen in FIG. 4, electrical driving motor 22 and its on-ofi switch means 23 are mounted on casing 21. Rotary motion of the motor shaft 24 is imparted to the centrifuge drum shaft 25 via belts 26 and pulleys 27, 28, as seen in FIG. 1.

Centrifuge drum 29 has an open top, defined by an outwardly and downwardly curled lip 36 extending over the inner wall of collector channel 14, and a transverse bottom wall in the center of which is secured one member 31 or" a jaw clutch indicated generally at 32. The other member of clutch 32 is a block 33 fixed on shaft 25' to rotate therewith. Adveutageously, clutch block 33 is fabricated of rubber or like resilient material to provide an elastic connection between drum 29 and the drive shaft. Alternatively, one or both clutch elements 31, 33 can be covered with rubber or like material. Top lip 30 passes through the partition.

of the drum is of such size and shape that the outer edge portion of centering plate 17 will bear against the top lip when cover 11 is in fully closed position. Such outer portion of plate 17 is provided, as seen in FIG. 5, with a plurality of generally radially extending grooves 34 through which liquid can flow from the drum and pass to collector channel 14.

The apparatus includes control mechanism preventing operation of the centrifuge when the cover 11 is open and preventing the cover from being opened when the centrifuge is operating as will now be explained.

Cover 11 carries a dependent lug 35 having a lateral open 36. Aligned beneath lug 35 and mounted for vertical movement in a suitable bore in member 13 is a pin "37 biased upward to a normal position by a spring 3711 or other resilient means. A cover locking lever 38 is mounted on member 13 for pivotal movement on a shaft 40 about a vertical axis and includes a tab 39, the arrangement being such that, when cover 11 is fully closed, pivotal movement of lever 38 in a counterclockwise direction in FIGS. 3 and 13, as viewed from above, will cause tab 39 to enter opening 36 in lug 35 to lock the cover. When pin 37 is in its upper, normal position, however, the pin effectively blocks such movement of lever 38, this blocking action being eliminated when pin 37 is fully depressed by lug 35.

Below the lever 38 the shaft 44} carries a laterally extending tongue 41, as seen in FIGS. 1, 2 and 14. Disposed near the location of tongue 41 is a knob 42 which,

with linkage to be described, actuates on-olf switch 23, the knob 42 being mounted on dependent support 42 for oscillation about a horizontal axis as shown. Knob 42 is connected to an arm 43, the arrangement being such that knob 42 is turned to pivot arm 43 downward when 'downward, and the drive motor accordingly can be started by turning knob 42.

The linkage means interconnecting arm 43 and switch 23 includes a generally vertically extending push rod '44, the upper end of rod 44 being pivoted to arm 43 and :the lower end being disposed below partition 20 and adjacent bearing casing 21, the rod passing freely through a suitable opening in the partition.

The partition 20, which divides the upright housing into top and bottom compartments 10a and 10b, respectively, is provided with an upwardly extending hollow sleeve 20a at the opening through which the rod 44 of the rod 44 is pivotally connected to the upper part 45c of a rocker plate 45 by a connector 144 having an upper sleeve portion 144a, a lower U-shaped portion 144b and a vertical connecting arm 144c therebetween. The rod 44 passes through the sleeve portion 144a and the spaced 'arms of the U-shaped portion 1144b have aligned openings to receive the lower bent end 44a of rod 44 which also passes through an opening in the upper part 450 of rocker plate 45, as best seen in FIGS. 8, 9 and 10. The vertical connection 144a extends downward from the 'sleeve portion 144a at an acute angle to the vertical and is connected at its lower end to one arm of the lower Ll-shaped portion 144b, as best seen in FIGS. 9 and 10.

The lower bent end 44a 7 receiving a pin 45b. The pin 45b extends through the sleeve 45a and the rocker plate 45 is fixed to the extreme left-hand end of the pin 45b, as seen in FIG. 9. To the left of pin 45]: in FIG. 8 the rocker plate 45 is provided with a rearwardly extending projection 50a, as seen in FIG. 9, which receives the lower end of a coil spring 50, the upper end of which is secured to a projection on the bearing casing 21. Hence, the spring 50 tends to rock plate 45 about pin 45!) in a clockwise direction in FIG. 8.

The switch 23 is mounted on a part 480 which is carried by and is perpendicular to a plate 48a. The actuating member 49 of switch 23 passes through an opening in part 48c, as best seen in FIG. 8. The plate 48a includes a top part of triangular shape and a bottom part which extends horizontally in a direction from the part 48c carried by the plate 48a. One end of the top triangular-shaped part of plate 48a is fastened by the pin 45b to the hollow sleeve 45a of bracket 45a. The opposite end of the top part of plate 436: is fastened by a screw connection 48b to a part 48d fixed to bearing casing 21. The part 48d is clearly seen in FIG. 8 and hidden from view in FIG. 9 by other parts in front of it.

The shape of the rocker plate 45 is best seen in FIG. 8, the left-hand part being in solid line and the righthand part being in dotted line having a vertical section inclined to the right toward the switch operating member 49. A lever 48 of the shape shown in FIG. 8 is pivoted at one end at 482 to the plate 43a and at its opposite end is formed with a pair of spaced arms defining a jaw 48 which is operable to move switch actuating mem ber 49 up and. down. The rocker plate 45 is formed with a cam groove 46 which receives a follower pin 47 fixed to lever 48 to move the latter vertically and impart movement to switch control member 49 and render switch 23 operable to connect and disconnect the motor 22 to and from a source of electrical supply responsive to vertical movement imparted to rod 44 by control knob 42.

Rocker plate 45 is connected to suitable friction brake means (not shown) operatively associated with shaft 25 to brake the shaft when rocker plate 45 is moved in a direction to open switch 23 and de-energize motor 22. Hence, the drum is caused to decelerate as soon as the switch is opened. When the drum has stopped, lever 38 can be pivoted to withdraw tab 39 from opening 36, tongue 41 no longer being blocked, since, in order to open switch 23, knob 42 has been turned to swing arm 43 upward, above the plane of movement of the tongue.

In operation, wet clothes or the like to be centrifuged are placed in drum 29, cover 11 is closed and locked by action of lever 38, and knob 42 is operated to start motor 22. As drum 29 rotates, the liquid is thrown outward by centrifugal force and, since the wall of drum 29 flares outward and upward, the liquid flows upward along the drum wall, outwardly via grooves 34 in centering plate 17 and into collector channel 14.

At the rear of the device, member 13 is provided with openings 51 which conduct the liquid from channel 14 to a drain board or plate 52 disposed to discharge into a tub or other receiver 53 and on which the device is mounted, as shown in FIG. 11. When the flow of water over plate 52 terminates, the motor is stopped, the cover unlocked and opened, and the clothes removed from the drum.

While all of the liquid from within the drum is conveyed out to the drain plate as just described, some condensation may occur on the outer surface of the drum. Hence, a suitable drain pipe (not shown) may be pro vided which extends downward through partition 20 and bottom closure plate 12 to remove any liquid formed by such condensation.

The apparatus is provided with a suitable frame for detachably supporting it on a laundry tub, bath tub, sink, washing machine or other suitable structure. This frame or bracket comprises a main metal member including a lower, generally fiat portion 59, adapted to extend under and be secured to bottom closure 12, and an upright portion 60 adapted to extend along the rear wall of housing 10, upright portion 60 terminating in a fiat upper end to which is connected a hook 61 having at 61 channel-like configuration adapted to engage over and grip the rim of the washing machine 53. This entire bracket can be formed integrally from a single piece of steel plate. Lower portion 59 of the bracket means is secured to bottom closure plate 12 by screws 59:: and elastic blocks 54 as will be clear from FIG. 6.

Adjacent the juncture between portions 59 and 66 of the bracket means, the same is provided with rearwardly facing suction cups 62 serving to bear against, and attach to, the side wall of the washing machine 53 upon which the centrifuge is supported by the bracket. To facilitate detachment of the suction cups from such side wall, the cups are provided with finger grips 63, FIGS. 1 and 8, in the nature of radially extending outer tabs.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 6, the suction cups 62 can be attached to the upright flange 64 of a foot bracket plate 65, plate 65 being secured to portion 59 of the bracket by scews 66 extending through slot 67 in plate 65 and tapped into plate 68 which engages the upper surface of bracket portion 59. It will be noted that the suction cups 62 are disposed generally at the bottom of the apparatus, face to the rear and are spaced.

Where the centrifuge is to be mounted on the wall of a tub or the like having a relatively thick rim or edge, the supplementary adapter bracket 69 of FIG. 7 is employed. Bracket 6? comprises a main body 70 of inverted U-shaped channel configuration which engages an inverted U-shaped lip portion 61 of the top hook of the main bracket, and a pair of spaced fingers 71 which project in a direction which is rearward of the centrifuge when the bracket 69 is in place thereon. Fingers 71 have downwardly offset end portions, so that the fingers can be engaged over the thick rim 72 of a tub or the like. Body 71} of bracket 69 has two spaced slots 73, extending transversely relative to the length of the inverted channel defined by the body portion. Between these slots, the central portion 70 of body 70 is displaced upward relative to the end portions 70*. Inverted U-shaped end portions 70* have a radius of curvature such that they may nest within the channel portions 61 of hook 61. Central portion 7i) has a radius of curvature such as to embrace channel portion 61*. In mount ing the supplementary adapter bracket 69, the same is placed with its channel configuration in endwise alignment with the channel portion 61 of the main bracket means, and bracket 69 is then slipped in place with portion 61 passing through slots 73, as shown. The free edge of hook 61 engages the top of fingers 71 to prevent the latter from pivoting upward. It will now be seen that the U-shaped channel 70 essentially is formed with spaced legs, the fingers 71 forming part of one leg and the inverted U-shaped parts 70a and 76b forming part of the other leg. The fingers 71 defining part of the one leg overlie the rim 72 and engage one face of the vertically extending wall, and the inverted U-shaped parts 70a and 70b coact with the lip 61a at the upper end of the frame. The outer convex surfaces of the parts 701) engage the inner concave surface of the lip 61a and the inner concave surface of the part 76a engages the outer convex surface of the lip 61a. The lip 61a and channel 70 are movable lengthwise with respect to one another to remove and connect the lip 61a from and to the U-shaped parts 70a and 70b of the inverted U-shaped channel 70 which are offset from one another lengthwise of the channel.

It will be understood that the top hook portion 61 of the main bracket can be made as a separate element fastened to upright 60 by sheet metal screws or the like, as seen in FIG. 1, and that elastic material (not shown) can then be disposed between elements 66 and 61. Element 60 can be resilient, if desired.

With hook portion 61 of the main bracket means (or fingers 71 of the adapter bracket) engaged over the rim of a tub wall or the like, the spacing of suction cups 62 rearward of the centrifuge then determines (in one plane of movement) the angle at which the axis of rotation of drum 29 is disposed with respect to the horizontal. To make this axis vertical, screws 66 are loosened, so that in view of slot 67, which extends from front to rear of the apparatus, the plate can be adjusted to increase or decrease the spacing of the suction cups, screws 66 being again tightened after the proper adjustment has been made. Such adjusta'bility of foot bracket plate 65 and its suction cups is of particular importance, if the apparatus is to be mounted on various types of tubs and washing machines, for example, since the tub wall or the like on which the apparatus is mounted may slant from the top rim either away from the centrifuge or toward the centrifuge, or may be vertical.

Foot bracket plate 65 is provided with a dependent peripheral flange 74, FIG. 1, to form a base support for the centrifuge, as when it is stored. Thus, the centrifuge can be stored by being placed on the floor of a storage space, or by being placed within a tub and washing machine, for example, in which the bracket 69, or the main bracket, can be employed to suspend the device from the rim of the tub or liquid receiver.

The various elastic elements, including the elastic memher or members of clutch 32, the foot blocks 54b and the suction cups 622, assure that, when the centrifuge is mounted and in operation, only a minimum amount of vibration will be transmitted to the tub, sink, washing machine or the like on which the unit it mounted. Such vibration damping features are particularly important when the centrifuge is intended for use in a kitchen, bathroom or other room of a dwelling, where noise is an objectionable factor.

What is claimed is:

1. In combination, a liquid receiver including a vertically extending wall having a rim at its top edge, an independently operable portable liquid extracting unit comprising an open-top casing having a bottom and upstanding side wall, a cover for the casing, a rotatable drum in the casing for centrifugally extracting liquid from laundry, a drm'n plate fixed to the casing at the vicinity of the cover which receives liquid extracted cen trifugally by the drum for discharge into the receiver, structure disposed within the casing for rotating the drum, a frame having an upright arm and a bottom horizontal base, means for resiliently supporting the casing in an upright position on the bottom horizontal base of the frame, hook means for detachably hanging the frame from the rim of the vertically extending wall, the drain plate being disposed over the hook means and projecting horizontally beyond the hook means from the top opening of the casing, the hook means including a member in the form of an inverted U-shaped channel having spaced legs, the top edge of the upright arm of the frame being bent back upon itself to form an inverted U-shaped lip, the inverted U-shaped channel member having one leg overlying the rim and engaging one face of the vertically extending wall and the other leg formed to provide a plurality of inverted U-shaped parts, at least one of the parts having its outer convex surface in en agement with the inner concave surface of the lip and another of the parts having its inner concave surface in engagement with the outer convex surface of the lip, the lip and channel being movable lengthwise with respect to one another to remove and connect the lip from and to the inverted U- shaped parts of the channel.

2. Apparatus as set forth in claim 1 in which the inverted U-shaped parts are offset from one another lengthwise of the channel, adjacent inverted Urshaped ,pa xts being spaced from one another.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 5 Lagemann May 5, 1925 Green Aug. 12, 1930 Papworth Sept. 2, 1930 Stephens et a1. July 28, 1931 Kirby Aug. 7, 1934 10 8 Schaum Aug. Yurkovitch Dec. Davies Nov. Schneider Aug. Wall July Knight Mar S1sson Nov FOREIGN PATENTS 7 Australia Oct. 

1. IN COMBINATION, A LIQUID RECEIVER INCLUDING A VERTICALLY EXTENDING WALL HAVING A RIM AT ITS TOP EDGE, AN INDEPENDENTLY OPERABLE PORTABLE LIQUID EXTRACTING UNIT COMPRISING AN OPEN-TOP CASING HAVING A BOTTOM AND UPSTANDING SIDE WALL, A COVER FOR THE CASING, A ROTATABLE DRUM IN THE CASING FOR CENTRIFUGALLY EXTRACTING LIQUID FROM LAUNDRY, A DRAIN PLATE FIXED TO THE CASING AT THE VICINITY OF THE COVER WHICH RECEIVES LIQUID EXTRACTED CENTRIGUGALLY BY THE DRUM FOR DISCHARGE INTO THE RECEIVER, STRUCTURE DISPOSED WITHIN THE CASING FOR ROTATING THE DRUM, A FRAME HAVING AN UPRIGHT ARM AND A BOTTOM HORIZONTAL BASE, MEANS FOR RESILIENTLY SUPPORTING THE CASING IN AN UPRIGHT POSITION ON THE BOTTOM HORIZONTAL BASE OF THE FRAME, HOOK MEANS FOR DETACHABLY HANGING THE FRAME FROM THE RIM OF THE VERTICALLY EXTENDING WALL, THE DRAIN PLATE BEING DISPOSED OVER THE HOOK MEANS AND PROJECTING HORIZONTALLY BEYOND THE HOOK MEANS FROM THE TOP OPEN- 